Multi-purpose structure



. a ay A March 17, 1959 Filed Feb. 6, 1956 D. M. JOHNSON MULTI-PURPOSE STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR 0. M. JOHNSON ATTORNEY March 17, 1959 D. M. JOHNSON MULTI-PURPOSE STRUCTURE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 6, 1956 INVENTOR D. M. JOHNSON A TTORNE Y United States Patent.

MULTI-PURPOSE STRUCTURE Darrell M. Johnson, Thomson, Ga.

Application February 6, 1956, Serial No. 563,483

2 Claims. (Cl. 189-88) Patented Mar. 17, 1959 exposed and an overlying layer of slats with their concave faces exposed,-all of such slats being held by the same spring tongues or fingers.

Briefly stated the present invention is a multi-purpose structure composed of mounting means in the form of a base or support and a facing or surface therefor, the base being of spaced members or a solid body with portions struck out and providing spaced spring fingers with locking tips for holding the facing or surface of the ma- 1950 now issued as United, States Letters Patent 2,738,605 for a changeable exhibit rack.

Prior structures have been expensive, complicated, lacking in ornamental appearance, and otherwise 'failed' to accomplish the results for which they were designed.

It is an object of the invention to overcome the foregoing objections and to provide simple, inexpensive, readily available, easily installable multi-purpose structures, having maximum facility of adaptation, innovation, and of pleasant appearance, as well as eflicient, capable of being easily installed, and with variations, in structure to meet requirements including the quality of being assembled in single or in multiple thicknesses, disposed in different angular relations to each other and to the horizontal, and applicable to a structure already standing or to one newly created, by the mere provision of a base or mounting means and the application of strip material thereto.

Another object of the invention is to produce a multipurpose structure of readily available metal, plastic or other materials, capable of being used in connection with the creation of a sign, wall, surface, or a support for cards, papers and other items, and providing colorful decorative surfaces, finishing screen, picture or other article.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective of a wall showing concavoconvex strips mounted both horizontally and vertically;

Fig. 2, a fragmentary perspective of a wall including a metal sheet with integral tongues struck therefrom;

Fig. 3, a fragmentary perspective of a wall including a sheet of metal sheathing with grooves and integral struck out strip holding tongues;

Fig. 4, an enlarged fragmentary detail perspective of multiple superimposed strips and with a base strip slide ably confined within a support for adjustability with a portion broken away for purposes of clarity;

Fig. 5, a fragmentary perspective of another form of wall having strips with their concave sides exposed;

Fig. 6, a similar view with the parts inverted;

Fig. 7, a perspective of a multi-purpose structure with various means for hanging items on such structure;-

- Fig. 8, a perspective of a hanger;

' Fig. 9, a perspective of another type of hanger;

Fig. 10, a perspective of a further type of hanger;

Fig. 11, an enlarged detail perspective illustrating the manner of concealing the last strip holding tongues;

' Fig. 12, a perspective of a multi-purpose structure with slats used as weather-boarding on the outside of a building; and

Fig. 13, a fragmentary detail perspective of a wall having an underlying facing of slats with convex surfaces terial in position which latter is of relatively thin flexible concavo-convex strip material which may be easily applied andremoved in single or multiple thickness.

Due to the relatively thin character of the concavor.

convex strips they may be readily applied and held in position by the locking tips and likewise may be readily removed. Further, due to the flexible nature of the strips they may be flexed to allow, for insertion of suit-- able hangers. The structure has a wide application for providing finishing surfaces of inexpensive character and of multiple uses.

With continued reference to is disclosed wall structure including-a series of relatively I thin flexible concavo-convex strips 10, some of which are disposed in horizontal position and others in vertical. position. These strips may be .approximately 2" inwidth or if desired they may be narrower or considerably wider as they are manufactured in a continuous manner so that they may be made of any desired length.

In order to fasten them in position they are provided with slots 11 (Fig. 4) in which are received the lateral tips or detents 12 on spring fingers 13 struck from a suitable base such as, for example, a mounting bar .or strip 14 as shown in Fig. 1, or 14' as shown in Fig. 4, or from a sheet or plate 15, 15' as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, respectively.

A wall in accordance with the present invention may include suitably spaced uprights or studs 16 which form the primary supporting structure on which the strips 10 may be mounted bymeans of the bar or strip 14 or the sheets 15, 15'. The mounting bar or strip 14 or 14 in cludes groups of spring fingers 13 slideably mounted in a channel member 17 attached by screws or other fasteners 18 to sheathing 19 of wood or other material. With this type of mounting the slats 10 are retained under slight compression whether they are disposed in horizontal, vertical or other position.

The concave-convex slat forming strips may be disposed so that their convex surfaces are exposed and visible, or as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 they may be reversed so that their concave surfaces are exposed and visible. Additionally, as shown in Fig. 6, the bar 14 may be inverted and the spring fingers 13 located in an upwardly extending position (as shown in Fig. 6) instead of downwardly as in Figs. 2, 3, 4 and 5.

When the slats are mounted so that their convex surfaces are exposed to view their edges fit snugly with-one edge of each slat against the adjacent slat and the other against the base member or members. When the slats are reversed so that their concave surfaces are exposd to view the edges of the slats beneath'the spring fingers will be held snugly against a support with the opposite edges free or in spaced relation to the support and the adjacent slats.

In the structures of Figs. 1 and 5, the strips are mounted on a wooden sheathing 19, although as illustrated in Fig. 2 instead of a mounting bar on the sheathing a sheet of metal or other material of adequate strength may be attached directly to studding16 and such sheet may have fingers 13? for engaging and holding the strips in place. Instead of a relatively heavy sheet 15 a lighter sheet 15' may be employed having undercut the drawings, in Fig.

or dovetail slots thusrgrcatly simplifying the construction and making it possible for a hanger 21 to he slipped endwise in'the slots 15'' without coming in contact with a bar 14 one channel member 17. Further, the slots 15" provide locations for fastening elements employed for securing the sheet 15' on a support.

In Fig. 7 a wall is provided comprising studs 16 on whichare mounted a panel 19 having a series of grooves or slots 20 of dovetail cross section or with the inner sides undercut. On the face of the panel 19 are mounted U-shaped channels 17 in each of which the bar 14 is slideable, such bar being provided with spring fingers 13 which maintain the concavo-convex strips 10 in position.

In order to mount various articles on the wall just described, a seriesof hangers may be provided, such hangers being-ofa character to be applied to the partictilar'wall. The hanger of Fig. 8 is for heavy objects and comprises a body 21 with spaced 'ho'o'ks "22 designed so that-one of each of the hooks 22 ofeachpair is disposed o'ver'th'e upper edge of the strip 10 on each side of'the bar 14 and its holder 17 for maximum strength. The lower end 23 of the yoke member 21 accordingly is disposed in horizontal'position at right angles to body 21 to form a support for a shelf 24.

Instead of the han'gerof Fig. 8, a hanger such as shown in Fig. 9 may be used, such hanger including a yoke-like body 24 having spaced hooks '25 and spaced tongues 26. The hooks 25 are adapted to be located over the upper edge of one ofthe strips at each side of the members 14'and 17 while the tongues 26 are similarly located within one of the grooves 20, the body of the hanger being disposed behind and concealed by the strips. At its lower-portion the hanger may be provided with a laterally extending-hook 27 used for supporting an object suchas for example a picture supporting wire 28 as illustrated-in Fig. 7.

The structure of Fig. 7 is particularly suitable for supporting various types of articles, as for example, letters of the alphabet, to'produce a sign, the flexibility of the strips 10 permitting application and removal of such articles. In this figure and in Fig. 10 an object 29, for example, is the letter T adapted to be supported by a hook-30 which can be engaged over the upper edge of one of the strips 10 or within one of the grooves 20.

In Fig. 11 there is disclosed a method of providing a finish at the upper edge of a wall by inserting the upper edge of one of the strips with its concave surface forward, and then bending the inserted strip upwardly and reversely until it overlies and conceals the spring fingers -13.

-Ifdesired, a double thickness of slats can be employed as illustrated in Fig. 13, one thickness corresponding to that of Fig. 2 to which is added a second series of slats similar to that of Figs. 5 or 6. This permits variations in arrangements, finishes, and colors, and these variations can be increased in numerous ways as, for example, by providing a sleeve 31, Fig. 11, for one or more -of the slats. Further, this sleeve may be of any desired slat covering material.

From the foregoing it will be understood that the present invention provides a wall or surface for a wall. When the strips have their concave side forward or exposed, the device may be used for holding articles for convenient access. When the concave surfaces of the strips are exposed they shed water when employed to provide an exterior surface. Consequently, the flexible strips may have either surfaces exposed and used indoors or outdoors, although it is sometimes preferable that the convex sides be "exposed particularly when a relatively flat, smooth surface is desired.

The strips or'sla'ts of the present invention may be of plastic, metal, wood 'or othermaterial, and the device is intended to be used withbrackets held with hooks, for hanging pictur'es,for providing a peg board to hold letters for signs or for similar adaptation. Pins, tongues or hooks may be located in the grooves on the base of the structure. The device may be used as a background for show windows or display walls of a store or other building. It can be used for weather boarding or panelling on an interior or exterior wall and can be disposed in one position to form a chair molding or panelling below a horizontal line or at one 'side of a vertical line. It provides a washing surface which can easily be kept clean and is also useful as a re-surface for old walls, doors, etc.

In the several views the slots in the frame in which the ends of the slats are received is of a widthsuch that when the slats are disposed therein the desired tension will be maintained between the contacting edges of the slats. This tension 'on the slats is alsotproduced by the concavoconvex'strip 14'.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be m'a'dein the invention without departing from the'spirit'and the scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that whichis shown in the "drawings and described in the specification but only as indicated in theappen'dedclaims.

What is claimed is:

1. A multi-purpose wall structure comprising mounting means and a plurality of flexible concavo-convex strips supported thereby, said mounting means comprising asupport including a plurality of uniformly spaced aligned pairs of spring fingers with terminal locating and locking tips spaced from said support, said strip material having spaced elongated, longitudinally disposed slots intermediately thereof and'receiving'said locating and locking tips therein with an aligned pair of said spring fingers extending 'overan edge of a strip,'said spring fingers resiliently and removably retaining the strips overlapping under pressure and in contact with the edge of a next successive strip and forming a'substantially continuous surfacestructure, said strips 'being disposed with their similar convex surfaces facing in the same direction away'from said support, adjacent strips being separable at their overlapped portions for permitting insertion therebetween of sheet-like objects, hangers, or the like.

2. A m'ulti-purp'ose structure comprising mounting means and 'flexible concave-convex strips supported thereby'and having pairs of uniformly spaced elongated slots therein, said mounting means having at least two groups 'of spaced pairs of spring fingers with terminal locating-'and-lockin'g-tips in theslots of said strips retaining the 'satne in position and biasing said strips toward the iriounting means,'pairs of said-spring fingers of each group-extending over an edge of "each of saidzstrips retaining the same under pressure in overlapped relation in contactwith the next successive strip and providing a substantially continueus'surface, and means independently and adjustably supporting each of said groups of spring fingers on said mounting means for adjusting them as a group relative 'to said mounting means to permit the strip'materialto have its edges disposed in parallel relationship, the strips being disposed with their convex portions extending away from said mounting means.

"References Cited 'in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,133,113 Pratt Oct. 11, 1938 2,250,764 Hoess July 29, 1941 2,418,758 Cooper Apr. '8, 1947 2,490,663 Van Umm et a1 Dec. 6. 1949 2,620,906 Ketchum Dec. 9, 1952 2,650,393 "Coward Sept. 1, 1953 2,677,158 Mayer May 4, 1954 2,687,836 Rhodes et al Aug. 31, 1954 2,714,782 Dinn Aug. 9, 1955 r H FOREIGN PATENTS 25,804 Great Britain 1904 

